Meatless Monday: Honey-Balsamic Glazed Figs & Homemade Whipped Cream

Hello Darlings!

It is fig season! *Does a little happy dance* I love figs, their versatility (did you see them as a pizza topping?), how robust their flavor is without being overpowering, and, of course, they are gorgeous to boot!

Now, while I love figs on top of salads or just plain, I thought I might kick them up a notch and create a decadent dessert. Their natural sweetness paired with that of balsamic, honey, and aromatic spices creates a depth of flavor that pairs well with either super sweet ice cream or more savory and tart arugula. But, because my sweet tooth is incredibly voracious figs and homemade whipped cream called to me.

Ingredients:

For the Figs:

– 1 Pint Fresh Figs (About 10)

– ½ Cup Balsamic

– ¼ Raw Honey

– 1 Tablespoon Thyme (1/2 tsp more if desired for garnish)

– 1 Teaspoon Cloves

– 1 Teaspoon Nutmeg

– 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

For the Whipped Cream:

– 1 Pint Heavy Whipping Cream

– 2-4 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and chill a large mixing bowl in the freezer.
2. Remove figs’ stems and quarter each fig, first in half lengthwise, then each half lengthwise to create wedges.

3. In a small bowl combine fig wedges and olive oil. Transfer to parchment paper lined baking dish and pop in preheated oven for 25 minutes.

4. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine balsamic, honey, thyme, nutmeg, and cloves. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat.

5. Meanwhile, using the pre-chilled mixing bowl add heavy cream. Slowly, whisking constantly incorporate powdered sugar until cream starks to thicken and peaks form. The amount of sugar depends on the humidity of where you live- Colorado has barely any!